Fantastic Mr. Fox

I don't know why I ever doubt Wes Anderson. Though, maybe 'doubt' isn't the right word. For whatever reason I always hesitate after finding one of his distinctive comedy-dramas every few years, on a streaming platform or wherever. After watching I undoubtedly end up loving it. The exception was Rushmore (Jason Schwartzman/Bill Murray, about a strong-willed oddball high school student), though that was so long ago and it deserves a rewatch.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Bill Murray/Owen Wilson, an absurd Jacque Cousteau-like oceanographer seeks to kill a rare shark) was the first I saw, in theaters way back in high school. It had to be the funniest movie I'd yet seen in my life, though it's certainly overly wacky and I don't blame others, like my wife, for hating it. I've realized in subsequent years that movie polarizes even amongst Wes Anderson fans and is at the edge of his body of work. As my introduction I incorrectly thought it'd be typical.

After years of my brother telling me that The Royal Tenenbaums (Gene Hackman et al, in a sprawling story about a dysfunctional family of supreme talents) was the best movie ever, I finally acquiesced. He was right, it's great. So too are The Grand Budapest Hotel (Ralph Fiennes, a mid-century European hotel concierge receives an heiress's priceless painting) and Isle of Dogs (Bryan Cranston, a boy seeks his lost pet after all dogs are banished). Moonrise Kingdom (Bruce Willis, two awkward pre-teens run away from their New England island town) was also appreciable, though not quite on the same level as the rest. Each of these I saw years apart and regretted waiting so long. Through it all and until very recently, it was increasingly clear in my mind that Tenenbaums was Anderson's masterpiece.

That was, at least, until I watched Fantastic Mr. Fox. It's on Disney+ by the way. Like the more recent Isle of Dogs it's done in stop motion animation, and came out back in 2009. Besides being about animals I knew nothing going in, including the fact that the film is based on a Roald Dahl book and is a story for children. Without ruining anything, here's the gist. An anthropomorphic fox (George Clooney!) had previously given up his dangerous career of stealing from humans at the behest of his wife (Meryl Streep!). Years later, he wants a better life for his family, including his struggling to fit-in teenage son (Jason Schwartzman, imagine that). To accomplish this he plans pulling one last job against three prominent nearby farmers. Predictably, things go awry and the farmers declare war on the foxes and other neighboring animals. Desperate, the animals fight back.

Unlike the rest of Wes Anderson's catalog there's no adult language or themes. It applies the rest of his characteristic format perfectly however, including the colors and style, the quirky eccentric characters, the manner of establishing then telling a story, surprisingly effective emotion, and the well-timed dry humor. There's another impressive ensemble (voice) cast including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and more. I kept thinking, once I realized it's largely a kid's movie, that it couldn't possibly all that good. But everything was just so accessible and charming, beginning to end, that I couldn't help but completely love it. One detail keeps coming to mind, where the otherwise human-like foxes absolutely devour their food in like half a second to remind you that they are, in fact, wild animals.

Anyway you should check out Fantastic Mr. Fox even if you don't like, or don't think you like, the director. It's unique, joyful, fun, and with an appropriate PG rating even safe for most kids. Very rarely these days does a film force me to think about a favorites list, but after this one I am. While I don't have a current list, with that itself a project for another day, it's basically guaranteed this gem will now be on it. Thank you Wes Anderson, and sorry for being 12 years late to the party.